פירוש על במדבר 15:34

כי לא פרש מה יעשה לו [AND, THEY PLACED HIM IN WARD] BECAUSE IT WAS NOT EXPLAINED WHAT SHOULD BE DONE WITH HIM — i.e. what kind of death penalty he was to die had not yet been explained, but they were fully aware that one who desecrates the Sabbath is punishable by some death penalty (Sifrei Bamidbar 114; Sanhedrin 78b; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 24:12).

כי לא פורש, the type of death penalty had not yet been stated clearly.

כי לו פורש מה יעשה לו, “because it had not been made clear what should be done to him.” This refers to which of the four types of death penalties was applicable to someone committing this type of Sabbath violation. All that was known so far was that deliberate violation of the Sabbath is subject to the death penalty as written in Exodus 31,14. Now G’d clarified: “the man shall be put to death the entire assembly shall pelt him with stones outside the camp” (verse 35).